Abstract
The landscape character of a rural area is the distinct patterns that are shaped by the natural, built and cultural elements found in a particular setting. The rural landscape character is an important component of the rural landscape corridor, particularly in shaping a scenic driving route. Due to urbanisation, the improvements of road infrastructure and conversion of agricultural lands into commercial land use, the rural landscape may gradually lose its unique characters if they are not integrated into the development planning strategies. There have been a growing number of researchers that examine the landscape character assessment framework and studies on the rural areas. However, a framework that is tailormade to examine the rural landscape is needed to assist landscape architects and planners to identify and map the landscape values prior to planning any development in the rural areas, as these values are also vital in attracting rural tourism. The aim of this article is to formulate a conceptual framework on landscape character assessment for the rural landscape corridor. The framework proposes the addition of intangible components that relate to the tangible components of the rural landscape character. The framework can guide the planning of rural areas and the rural corridor.
Highlights
The rural landscape is often associated with nostalgia of a place that is surrounded by nature and vernacular architecture
Based on a study by Agapito, Valle and Mendes (2013) on the sensory-based words used by visitors to describe their rural experience, the sense of "sight" and "sound" contribute the most to people's experience of the rural landscape. These findings suggest that the intangible components of the rural landscape character need to be integrated into the framework
Based on the existing landscape character assessment (LCA) framework (Figure 1) and the reviewed Components of Rural Landscape Characters (Table 1 and Figure 2), we propose a Conceptual Framework for Rural LCA (Figure 3)
Summary
The rural landscape is often associated with nostalgia of a place that is surrounded by nature and vernacular architecture. The scenery and landscape characters of the rural areas make them significant as attractions in cultural and regional tourism. Different than the urban or the suburban landscapes, the rural landscape is characterised by its natural environment, agricultural activities, settlement patterns and the traditional way of life. The uniqueness of the rural areas in the current modernised and globalised world has made some villages to become an attraction for tourism. The "authentic" imagery of the rural landscape has lured people to travel through long-distance routes across states. Visits from local and international tourists to the rural areas of the countryside have contributed to the social and economic gains of the place (McMorran, 2014)
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